Single-engine airplane crashes into sea off Crete

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - A single-engine airplane crashed into the sea off the Greek island of Crete (Girit), local media reported on Thursday.

The aircraft, which was carrying two foreigners and heading to Egypt, crashed shortly after broadcasting an SOS call at around 9.55 a.m. local time (0755GMT), said public broadcaster ERT.

A coast guard boat swiftly arrived at the scene and pulled both men from the sea, transporting them to the nearby port of Heraklion.

However, according to the ERT, a 62-year-old South African man could not be resuscitated despite the efforts of the emergency team.

The other passenger, a 34-year-old Indonesian man, is in a good condition, it also noted.